Danilo pledge made as Nuno drops Nottingham Forest team news hint for Luton Town FA Cup tie

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed his intention to involve midfielder Danilo in Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup tie this weekend.

The Reds host Luton Town at the City Ground on Saturday (3pm kick-off) and are determined to go far in the competition. But Nuno is prepared to make changes to his starting line-up as he looks to utilise his squad.

Danilo will be on the bench for what will be his first involvement since he suffered a broken ankle on the opening day of the season. Forest will continue to tread carefully with the Brazilian, but just having him back has been a big boost for his teammates.

“We all wish to see Danilo back on the pitch. He is going to be involved in the squad, he is not going to start. Hopefully we can see him, but we are delighted to have him back,” Nuno said ahead of the tie.

“You can already feel that. Danilo has a smile that is contagious. It has been really good to have him back.”

Danilo’s fellow long-term absentee Ibrahim Sangare, however, is still some way off a return. He has been sidelined since September after undergoing surgery on a hamstring problem.

“It is good to see Ibrahim working on the grass as well, even if he is still working on his own.

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“It will be a big boost for us to have him back as well. But it will take a while. We need to integrate him back into the group, we need to get him ready.”

The clash with the Hatters may well see a much-changed XI for the Reds from Monday night’s 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nuno views the opportunity for players to get minutes as a reward for their hard work in training.

“I think we have a good squad. Now we have to play the game and then we’ll see, but it’s a good squad,” he said. “All the players are working very well every day. Everyone deserves to play.

“We are ready to play against Luton. Of course we are going to make changes because every player deserves to start a game.

“We demand a lot from them and we see them work. It is a good chance for our players to play and enjoy themselves, and do their job properly.

“It’s a reward, if I make myself clear, because the players are working very hard. If we could, we would play them every game but it’s not possible. The FA Cup and particularly this game at home, they deserve to play. There’s a lot of players in our squad who didn’t have enough minutes they are working for and they deserve so much. It’s a good moment.”

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